Trias

On the architecture of Japan. Travelling elsewhere always reminds you of the things you take for granted, and the elements of life - whether they be routines or rituals, habits or assumptions - that are adopted without thought. In Japan, there are a plethora of lessons that propose alternative ways of living. ⠀ ⠀ One of these is a tendency to rely on spaces, rather than rooms. Spaces are often distinguished by soft boundaries - verandahs, vestibules and screens - rather than ...the hard lines of walls. These boundaries shift and slide, making living a much more fluid thing. ⠀ ⠀ This flexibility continues within the rooms themselves. A Japanese ryokan is often a single room, structured around a series of tatami mats. This one room becomes home to a series of routines - adjusting and unfolding bedding, kneeling at a table for tea, or slipping on a robe and a pair of slippers. These actions define occupation more than labels and doors. ⠀ ⠀ In Australia, we are used to looking at a floor plan and labelling a space - a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom or a study. Instead, Japanese architecture reminds us that these activities can be fluid and boundless. There is a freedom that comes from living in a single room, where you adjust the space to suit your needs, rather than walking to another space, and shutting a door. A room becomes a bedroom not by a label, but by the unfolding of a mattress on tatami. A single room is at once a place to eat and sleep, read and relax. ⠀ ⠀ We constantly converse with our clients about smallness, and how to live with less. Perhaps another way to think about this is to interrogate our own behaviours, and consider how many of them require the separation of a room, a distinctive place, or a wall. Instead, we could consider how to change our buildings and behaviours at once - how they can overlap and intersect, how we can live without walls.
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Late last week, we learnt that TRIAS has been shortlisted for the Emerging Practice Prize in the 2018 IDEA Awards. Our 'Four Periscopes' project has also been shortlisted in the 'Event' category. Our congrats go out to all the other shortlisted studios from around Australia - winners will be announced here in Sydney later this year.⠀

For those of you who are keen on competitions, the second annual MAAS Architecture Commission is currently open for expressions of interest. ⠀ ⠀ We were fortunate to receive the inaugural commission for this project late last year, with our installation, Four Periscopes, now on display within the museum's Turbine Hall.⠀ ⠀ Here are a couple of the models that test our proposal in its second life, where the framework gets reconfigured as a pavilion.

Across our studio fitout, we wanted to keep the details as crisp and calm as possible. Because of this, we decided to use a range of clean-edged mitred profiles across the joinery edges and pulls. Simple, right?! As designers, it’s so easy for us to draw stuff and think it’s super easy to build. But it inevitably takes even more time - and effort - to execute something simply and beautifully. So a huge thanks goes out to our builder and good friend, Gian - who was super patient with us as we tested and refined these details until they were right. We’re so happy with your work and your craft. Thanks @giannovello10 - you’re a legend 🙏🏻! #brasslife

Exploring escarpments on wintery mornings. . . . .... #travel #sydney #bluemountains #kew #plantlife #wanderfolk #arkiromantix #design #exploretocreate #livefolk #wanderout #welltravelled #trias #triasstudio
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The trio that is TRIAS includes two keen furniture designers, and this is their latest handiwork. Designed by Jonnie and Casey, this table now sits at the heart of our studio space. One side is ringed by our favourite chairs - the Hiroshima chair by Naoto Fukasawa - while the other holds a long, low bench. ⠀ ⠀ In our design work, we often talk about the importance of tables - how they can anchor a space, and host all kinds of activities. A beautiful table is more than a piece... of furniture - it represents ideas of welcome, generosity and hospitality. So we look forward to sitting around this table, presenting projects to our clients, sharing meals and conversation, and - of course - drawing up a storm. ⠀ ⠀ Thanks to @bryantcasey for his craftsmanship and @seehosu for the timeless chairs.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #architecture #design #furnituredesign #australianarchitecture #australiandesign #archdaily #designer #timbertable #minimalistfurniture #plywood #sydneyarchitecture #heygents #customfurniture #archlife #minimalism #architecture_minimal #minimalist #australianmade #mindtheminimal #contemporarydesign #slowspace #architonic #designboom #unlimitedminimal #ig_minimalist #trias #triasstudio @ TRIAS
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Last night, we were thrilled beyond words to discover that Three Piece House has received an Award for Residential Architecture in the Houses (New) category. Our warmest congratulations go out to all the other winners in our category and beyond, and we thank our clients, friends and colleagues for celebrating with us long into the night. Your support of our studio means the world. We are also so proud to share the beautifully written awards citation, which describes the proje...ct in a way we never could. Thank you. We are so proud. . “There is an air of nostalgia to the Three Piece House, comprised of two pavilions and courtyards. It is a nod to a simpler time, whether in its reclaimed post-war era bricks, solid platform bases, or the 1970s reverb for homes that sought to regionalise the Scandinavian courtyard models of Jørn Utzon and Alvar Aalto. . . In a suburban area not known for its architectural merit, this project breathes life into good design’s possibilities. It is a modest, single-storey building, considerate of its neighbours, that operates as an essay in how to work with what you’ve got. Whether it is a right corner block, small budget or planning regulations, TRIAS circumnavigate the systems by working them.
There is careful attention to form and detail. TRIAS provide a response to site issues and create courtyard level changes that are both subtle and meaningful, demonstrating architectural skill but even greater promise. While reminiscent of a forgotten Australian suburb, the project is open and friendly to the street, it offer something for the future: strategic solutions can provide valuable responses and work towards ‘less but better’. Three Piece House is a reminder that architecture is not dependent on large budgets or contextual appeal to be successful.” 📷 @benhosking1984 .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #nswarchitectureawards2018 #designexcellence #architecture #design #archilovers #australianarchitecture #architecturelover #dezeen #afasia #architecture_hunter #sydneyarchitecture #architecture_magazine #architecturedesign #archlife #architecture_minimal #architoral #sustainablearchitecture #divisare #architecture_photography #architonic #trias #triasstudio
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These past few weeks, we three have had the opportunity to reflect on TRIAS, and how we've ended up where we are today. ⠀ ⠀ Yesterday, Casey - @bryantcasey - was fortunate enough to be invited to speak at industry event titled 'Moving On.' Here, he spoke about the coaches, champions and mentors who have allowed him to get to where he is today. ⠀ ⠀ Jen recently spoke at a Perspectives event, where she also had the opportunity to look back on key moments in her career. A video ...of this talk is now available online - and via the link here or in our bio. https://buff.ly/2Ken6TI⠀ ⠀ In her Perspectives talk, Jen referenced these two Sol Le Witt drawings as a means of talking about some of the issues we face as designers. With these drawings as inspiration, we then teamed up to produce this third graphic. It acts as timeline of sorts, showing how - throughout the years - her career has been formed by a series of ascents and descents, peaks, troughs and valleys. What emerged was a wobbly, and yet somehow stable, terrain upon which TRIAS was - in part - built. ⠀ ⠀ Our careers - and, really, our lives - exist in a perpetual state of flux. Yet, as designers, we often want the opposite: order, sequence, logic and perfection. We imagine certain people - or jobs, or projects - will be hugely influential, and then the ground shifts beneath us, revealing new paths and opportunities. ⠀ ⠀ So, if you have a spare hour on the weekend, sneak in a viewing of some of those Perspectives talks. There is a lot of wisdom in peoples' words and experiences. And be sure to follow along @perspectivesevents to hear about the next ones.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #trias #triasstudio #archilovers #australianarchitecture #slowspace #architecturelovers #instaarchitecture #architecture_hunter #sydneyarchitecture #sydneydesign #australianarchitect
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Yesterday, we were thrilled and honoured to discover that Three Piece House - our first ever project - has been shortlisted for the NSW Architecture Awards. Our congratulations go out to all the other studios - and their clients and collaborators - who are making and creating such great architecture. It's a privilege to be considered amongst you all. The awards will be announced in July. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀... #architecture #design #archilovers #australianarchitecture #architecturelover #dezeen #afasia #architecture_hunter #sydneyarchitecture #architecture_magazine #architecturedesign #archlife #architecture_minimal #newcastlearchitecture #architoral #sustainablearchitecture #divisare #architecture_photography #architonic #designboom #architoral #mynewcastle #trias #triasstudio
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We are super happy to reveal that we've made the shortlist for the 2018 Houses Awards. Three Piece House has been shortlisted in two categories - Sustainability and New House Under 200sqm - while our studio has been put forward for the Emerging Architecture Practice Award. We're really honoured to be included alongside so many great Australian practices - this country is producing some truly beautiful work. Our congrats go our to all of our friends and peers who have also made the shortlist - good luck, and hopefully we'll get to celebrate with you all in Sydney.
📷 @benhosking1984

We're proud to announce that, on Friday night, our recently completed Three Piece House received two prizes at the Newcastle Architecture Awards - it was the winner of the Sustainability category, and was awarded a commendation in the New Housing category.
Here's a snippet of one of the citations:
"What is sustainable is perhaps as subjective as what is beautiful. Three Piece House objectively earns the Architecture Award for Sustainability for tackling sustainability on mult...iple levels. To start with, this modest house is a very fine piece of domestic architecture. Its quality and modesty make is inherently sustainable, on both a human and numerical level: less resources for more delight. The human delight is evident on the faces of the owners, and the passion and care with which they have occupied the home. It is also evident upon casual experience. The rooms are light and breezy, each with deliberate aspect and views, crafted privacy, exposure and carefully managed cross-ventilation.
Three Piece House sustains its human occupants with minimum resources and maximum delight."
Our thanks to our amazing photographer @benhosking1984 for the photos.
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Happy 2018 everyone! To kick-start the year, here’s some models we’ve been working up for our ‘Four Periscopes’ installation at Sydney’s Museum of Arts and Sciences. The project will be up in less than eight weeks as part of the opening of Sydney Design Festival. So not long now! Big thanks to the wonderful team at @maasmuseum for making this commission happen #sydneydesignfestival

As kids, we spent so much time running around Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum. Within its amazing brick halls, we learnt all about science, technology and design. So, today, we are extremely proud to announce that TRIAS has just been chosen as the inaugural winner of the MAAS Turbine Hall commission. This new annual work gives emerging architects the chance to place an installation into the three storey void at the Powerhouse Museum. Our work, titled ‘Four Periscopes,’ gives visit...ors a chance to view one another throughout the Turbine Hall via a series of periscopes. This image is a taste of the interior experience we're currently developing in collaboration with @maasmuseum. We’ll reveal more details about the project in the coming weeks but, for now, we’re just happy to be sharing the news. We think our kid selves would be pretty darned proud too!
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Yesterday, we were super excited to find the latest copy of Houses magazine slipped under our studio door. The current issue contains a new feature called 'One to Watch' - and it profiles an emerging architecture practice. TRIAS is so pleased to be the first practice featured in this new format, and we had a lot of fun chatting to the Houses team about who we are, what we do, and how we came to form TRIAS. Our thanks go out to @housesmagazine for profiling our studio, along with writer @_lindacheng and editor @katelinbutler.

We've moved! TRIAS has set up shop in a new studio space in Sydney's Darlinghurst. We'll be calling this shopfront our home for the next little while, and have plans to host talks and all kinds of fun stuff in the new year. We'll have you all around soon, but - in the meantime - it's nice to have some of our models out on display. Watch this space >>>

Today, Casey is in Brisbane doing a couple of talks about our work and practice. This morning, he'll be presenting our Density and Diversity Done Well scheme at a local event. Tonight, he'll be joining a series of Brisbane based practitioners - including @tessbmartin + @kalimarnane + @blighgrahamarchitects - to speak about our work and recent competition win. Tonight's talk is free and being hosted at BVN Brisbane. More details can be found over at @emagn_qld. We hope to see some new folks - and old friends - there! With @bryantcasey

Three Piece House. Curves, lines and a red chimney.

Today marks the start of the Sydney Architecture Festival - and, this year, TRIAS is lucky enough to be getting involved. On Monday morning, Berlin-based Professor Kristien Ring will be delivering the keynote address for the festival and - afterwards - we’ll be sitting in on a panel discussion with her. The talk is focused on citizen-led, collaborative housing developments - and links back to the Missing Middle design competition that ran earlier this year. Our entry, Half A House, is just one example of how we can think creatively about medium density housing. Tickets are still available, so head to SAF for more info if you’d like to come along and hear more about co-housing models.